I locked eyes with a young girl loitering across the street, selling herself. Poor and dirty, and very pretty. And very young. I asked Emil how many kids he had. He said there were ten, but six of them died.
-- Roland (Part One paragraph 12)

Importance: This passage captures the poverty and poor conditions of Freetown, West Africa.

A kilo of heroin nets you six thousand dollars US. A kilo of diamonds makes you a king.
-- Horst (Part One paragraph 64)

Importance: Horst is pointing out the benefit of smuggling diamonds rather than heroin even though diamond smuggling is risky.

Israel has six nuclear-tipped missiles raised from the silos and pointing at Iran. Sometime during the next U.S. election period – boom-boom Teheran. And then it’s tit for tat, that’s the Muslim way, my friend. Radiation all around.
-- Horst (Part One paragraph 71)

Importance: Horst warns Roland about the possibility of nuclear war and disparages the Muslims as warmongers.

Nobody’s going to cook me and...
-- Roland/Michael (Part Two paragraph 20)